Johh bubtolst



(No Model.)

J. BURTON.

NOTATION SLIP FOR FINGER BOARD INSTRUMENTS. No. 346,424. Patented July 27, 1886 jum /W1 0):

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BURTON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

NOTATION-SLIP FOR FINGER=-BOARD INSTRUMENTS.

BPECII-ICATION fanning part of Letters Patent No. 346,424, dated July 2'7, 1886,

Application tiled July 1, 1885. Serial No. 170,400. (No model.) Patented in England May ll, 188$,No. 5,781.

To a 2071mm 27/ 'HZ/CLYZ/ concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN BURTON, of 144c Westminster Bridge Itoad, London, England, have invented a new and useful Improved Notation-Slip i'or Ilinger-Iloards of Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The improvements consist in furnishing the finger-board of linger-stopped stringed instruments with a linger and musical notation guide slip or plate, whereby the player is directed where to place his lingers on the strings ot' the instruments to produce accurate pitch.

In carrying out my invention I make one or more guide slips or plates of paper or other convenient material [it or pass under the finger board of the instrument and lie on it, marking oil. on the guide orguides the various pitch lengths and notes, which will vary according to the size of the instrui'nent. This guide or guides can be made of paper and attached-to or placed under the linger-board of the instrumentin any way. Preferably it may be loose and made to slide in and out of sight when held in place by a fingerboard composed of a sheet of glass,eolored as desired,or otherwise In rnished with a clear space or spaces or apertures and passing over the guideslip and under the strings, whereby the pitch lengths and notes are indicated at the aperture or apertures under the cover or finger board. It is convenient to mark the notes on the guide-slip on the line blue, and spaces red, or one or more colors differing from each other may be used; also, on the guide-slip oron the cover-plate maybe music ally written the full compass of the instrument as well as the denomination of the strings.

The object of the improvements is to train thelearner stopping in tune. \Vhen he is proficient the guide-slip can he slid or moved out of sight,or wholly removed when not practicing or required.

The accompanying drawings show the invention applied to the finger boards of a banjo, Figure 1 being a front elevation of a banjo, showing the notation-slip exposed; Fig. 2, a front elevation showing the same slid out of sight or removed; Fig. 3, a crosssect-ion at A 13, Fig. 1.

Like letters refer to like parts.

A is the finger-board stock.

X is a fixed glass cover or transparent finger-board, generally painted black, except the spaces 13 left blank, as in Fig. 2. These are the spaces or openings therein through which the sliding notation-slip Y appears when the stop 0, which is fixed to it, is actuated.

In Fig. 1 the stop 0 is shown in front and pushed up home, and consequently the notations on the slip Y are visible, as shown, in proper position under the strings and glass. The stop Omay, however, be otherwise placed.

On pulling down the stop O the notationslip will be covered and the finger-board will appear as in Fig. 2. Of course the notationslip might be fixed and the glass made to slide.

I am aware that indicators, charts, or notation-slips have been used for pianos and other keyed instruments; but

that I claim is- The combination, with linger stopped stringedinstruments, of the improved notation slip or slips Y, the actuating-stop O, and the glass or othercover X, all substantially as described and illustrated, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two snbscribing witnesses.

JOHN BURTON.

itnesses:

V. A. MORLEY, H. I. HADDAN. 

